my comfort recipes
♥ Log in Sign up
  • en
  • fr
  • es
  • pt
  • de
  • it
  • nl
    • 🌍 World Kitchen
    🌍 World Kitchen
    Log in Sign up
    Home / British / Irish Kitchen / Shepherd’s Pie

    Shepherd’s Pie

    Ground lamb simmered with onions, carrots, and peas in a rich gravy, buried under a craggy blanket of golden mashed potato.

    ⏱ 25 minPrep time
    🔥 55 minCook time
    🍽 6Servings
    🏷 British / Irish KitchenCategory
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet

    Ground lamb simmered with onions, carrots, and peas in a rich gravy, buried under a craggy blanket of golden mashed potato. It’s the lamb version of cottage pie, and it may be the most loved dish in the British home cook’s rotation.

    A true family staple, shepherd’s pie is the perfect way to use leftover roast lamb or a pound of good ground meat. Serve it bubbling from the oven with a simple green vegetable and Worcestershire sauce on the side.

    British / Irish recipes →

    Step by stepInstructions

    1. Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, 15-20 minutes; drain and mash with the milk and 2 tbsp butter. Season and set aside.
    2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook the onion and carrots until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute.
    3. Add the lamb and cook, breaking it up, until browned, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes.
    4. Pour in the broth and Worcestershire sauce, add the rosemary, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in the peas and season.
    5. Heat the oven to 400°F. Transfer the lamb to a 2 1/2-quart baking dish and spread the mash over the top, roughing it with a fork.
    6. Dot with the remaining 2 tbsp butter and bake until bubbling and golden, 25-30 minutes. Rest 10 minutes before serving.

    💡 Chef tips & storage

    Shepherd's pie must be lamb; with beef it becomes cottage pie. Rough the potato topping with a fork so the peaks catch and crisp in the oven.

    Rate this recipe

    ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
    ☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
    Sign in to rate this recipe.

    Recipe details

    Prep25 min
    Cook55 min
    Servings6
    CategoryBritish / Irish Kitchen
    PublishedAugust 17, 2026
    Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

    Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

    Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →

    Keep browsingYou might also like

    View all recipes →